February 12, 2013

State Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes today thanked President Obama for helping the GOP take control of North Carolina in the last election and encouraged him to come back to campaign for Democratic Senator Kay Hagan anytime.

Obama is set to speak in Asheville tomorrow.

Hayes’ open letter to Obama is certainly tongue-in-cheek but it highlights some important changes in North Carolina since the state helped Obama win his first term. He lost here last year.

Here’s the letter:

Welcome back to the great state of North Carolina. This will mark the first time you have returned to the state since the DNC Convention in September. Although your campaign team maintained an unprecedented level of devotion to North Carolina last campaign cycle, we welcome you back to our great state and urge you to present a plan and message to North Carolinians, and the nation, on how to get government spending under control and put folks back to work.

Last year the best and brightest of the National Democrats were showcased in Charlotte at the DNC Convention. The DNC event was well-attended, but based on North Carolina’s election results, it appears that the glow of the spotlight revealed the lack of a real plan. We saw a group desperate for more government, more taxes, and as a result, more debt. North Carolinians sent a message to Washington by choosing leadership with a commonsense approach: cut government spending, take our national debt seriously, and most importantly, get people back to work. As President, you played an important role in one of the most successful elections that North Carolina Republicans have ever experienced.

The message and policies you presented and their subsequent rejection helped our state return to the Republican column in the Presidential race, elect our first GOP Governor in nearly two decades, flipped three US Congressional seats and gained supermajorities in both chambers of our state General Assembly. It’s hard to say if we could have been as successful without you drawing such a glaring contrast to our common-sense, limited-government candidates. We enthusiastically welcome you back to our state.

Unfortunately our welcome reception pales in comparison to the unwavering support that your friend and colleague Sen. Kay Hagan has shown you by voting with the Democrat majority in the US Senate 92 percent of the time. Since Sen. Hagan has offered no plan or specific solutions on how to solve the most serious issues facing our nation, we can assume she will continue to rubberstamp your agenda. We sincerely hope your visit will include a Presidential endorsement, and we hope you return often to campaign on Sen. Hagan’s behalf.